Britain oversaw foreign relations and defense for the ruling
Kuwaiti AL-SABAH dynasty from 1899 until independence in 1961. Kuwait
was attacked and overrun by Iraq on 2 August 1990. Following several
weeks of aerial bombardment, a US-led UN coalition began a ground
assault on 23 February 1991 that completely liberated Kuwait in four
days. Kuwait spent more than $5 billion to repair oil infrastructure
damaged during 1990-91.

sudden cloudbursts are common from October to April; they
bring heavy rain which can damage roads and houses; sandstorms and dust
storms occur throughout the year, but are most common between March and
August

Environment - current issues:

limited natural fresh water resources; some of world's
largest and most sophisticated desalination facilities provide much of
the water; air and water pollution; desertification

civil law system with Islamic law significant in personal matters; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

adult males who have been naturalized for 30 years or
more or have resided in Kuwait since before 1920 and their male
descendants at age 21 note: only 10% of all citizens are eligible to vote; in
1996, naturalized citizens who do not meet the pre-1920 qualification
but have been naturalized for 30 years were eligible to vote for the
first time

unicameral National Assembly or Majlis al-Umma (50 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 3 July 1999 (next to be held NA 2003)
election results:
percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 50; note - all cabinet
ministers are also ex officio members of the National Assembly

Judicial branch:

High Court of Appeal

Political parties and leaders:

none; formation of political parties is illegal

Political pressure groups and leaders:

several political groups act as de facto parties:
Bedouins, merchants, Sunni and Shi'a activists, and secular leftists
and nationalists

Kuwait is a small, rich, relatively open economy with proved
crude oil reserves of 94 billion barrels - 10% of world reserves.
Petroleum accounts for nearly half of GDP, 90% of export revenues, and
75% of government income. Kuwait's climate limits agricultural
development. Consequently, with the exception of fish, it depends
almost wholly on food imports. About 75% of potable water must be
distilled or imported. Higher oil prices put the FY99/00 budget into a
$2 billion surplus. The FY00/01 budget covers only nine months because
of a change in the fiscal year. The budget for FY01/02 envisioned
higher expenditures for salaries, construction, and other general
categories. Kuwait continues its discussions with foreign oil companies
to develop fields in the northern part of the country.

GDP:

purchasing power parity - $30.9 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

4% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita:

purchasing power parity - $15,100 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:

industry: 60%
services: 40%
agriculture: 0% (2000)

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

3% (2001)

Labor force:

1.3 million
note: 68% of the population in the 15-64 age group is non-national (July 1998 est.)

general assessment: the quality of service is excellent
domestic:
new telephone exchanges provide a large capacity for new subscribers;
trunk traffic is carried by microwave radio relay, coaxial cable, open
wire, and fiber-optic cable; a cellular telephone system operates
throughout Kuwait, and the country is well supplied with pay telephones
international: coaxial cable and microwave radio relay to
Saudi Arabia; linked to Bahrain, Qatar, UAE via the Fiber-Optic Gulf
(FOG) cable; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean, 2
Indian Ocean), 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean), and 2 Arabsat

in November 1994, Iraq formally accepted the UN-demarcated
border with Kuwait which had been spelled out in Security Council
Resolutions 687 (1991), 773 (1993), and 883 (1993); this formally ends
earlier claims to Kuwait and to Bubiyan and Warbah islands, although
the Iraqi Government continues periodic rhetorical challenges